Explosive rivet



l June 12, 1945.

A. wlDRlcH EXPLOSIVE RIVET Filed Feb. 25, 1944 INVENTOR. rzzorz Mdrc'k AT mR/vev Patented June l2,

EXPLOSIVE RIVET Anton Widrich, Eatontown, Application February 25, 1944, Serial No. 523,733 3 Claims. (01.35437) Thisjinvention relates to new and useful improvements-in an explosive rivet.

Morespecically, the invention proposes the construction of an explosive rivet employing an explosive charge to rivet the rivet in place and yeliminate necessity of using hammers, and -which may be inserted into an opening of parts to be riveted and hit upon the head to explode said charge and'cause the free end of its shank por` tion to be expanded on the other vside of the material to which the rivet is applied, permitting the rivet to be used in small spaces without requiring that it be backed up during its insertion Deriod.

'A further object of ,the invention proposes providing the interior of the shank portion of the rivet with a chamber within which an explosive charge vis disposed to be exploded by hitting the rivet onV the head with. a hammer or other heavy object to set olf a detonating cap and explode saidcharge.

Still another object of the invention proposes providing the head of the rivet with a blisterlike protuberance within which the detonating' means may be mounted for setting oif the charge when the head of the rivet is hit to collapse said protuberance.

A'still further object of the invention proposes Fig. 6 is still another sectional view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating a further modification of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of an explosive rivet constructed in accordance with a still another modification ofthe invention.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the rivet shown in Fig. 7.

'I'he explosive rivet, according ,to this invention, includes a rivet body vIII having a head portion I I and a shank porti'on I2 formed with any internal chamber I3. Thetopof the'head II of said rivet body is formedwith a blister-like protuberance Il which is hollow and which is connected by means of a channel I5 with the interior Aof the chamber I3 formed in the bottom of the shank I2 of said rivet body.

- An explosive charge I6 is mounted'within the chamber I3 and a detonating means is provided` the provision of novel means for connecting the interior ofthe protuberance with the charge and' being mounted in the shank portion of the rivet to insure exploding the charge when the rivet is hlt.

For further comprehension of the invention,

and of the ob'jects and advantages thereoff referi ence will be had tothe following description and accompanying drawing, and to the Aappended claims in'which 'the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.4

' In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure: Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an explosive rivet constructed in accordance with this 'invention and shown in position within openings in pieces of material to which the rivet is to be applied. Y

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 partly' in vertical section and illustrating the rivet after being d exploded.

, Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the rivet,

per se, before explosion.

Fig: 4 is a bottom view looking in the directionofthelinel-vlofFlga' Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating a modiiication of the inventiomy for connecting the interior Vof the blister-like protuberance I4, andi the channel I5 with the charge I6 to cause the charge to be exploded when the head portion II ofthe rivet I0 is hit with a ham-mer or other hard object, collapsing the protuberance I4. lIhis detonating means includes a cap Ilmounted within the protuberance Il .and connected by ignitable material I8 withA the charge I 6 in the chamber I3. The ignitable material I8 is mounted within the channel I5 and might be gun powder or other similar material which will burn down through the channel I5 to chamber I3.

,The-bottom of the shank, portion I2 of the rivet body I0 is provided with a plurality of radiating slots I9 for facilitating opening the 4bottom portion'of the shank I2 under the innuence of the pressure set up' by the exploding charge ISS The manneri of using the explosive rivet, constructed according to this invention, is as follows:

The shank portion I2 of the .rivet body I0 is projected into openings in the materials M to which the rivet isI applied. The head of the rivet II is then given a smart Icrack with ahammer or other-similar objectcausing the protuberance I4 to-be collapsed. This will explode the cap I'I and light the ignitable material IB in the channel I5 causing it to burn downwards into the chamber I3 and explode the charge I6. The pressure'set up by the exploding charge I 6 will spread the bottomend of the shank o'f the rivet, as permitted by the slots I9, to assume the posi- L .tion shown in Fig. 2 and prevent the rivet from being withdrawn through the opening in the materials M to which the rivet is applied.

It will be noted that the use of the explosive charge within the rivet body i8 eliminates the use of hammers for attening the shank end of the rivet and also permits the rivet to be used in limited spaces where it would be impossible to back up the rivet during the time that the hammer is being used for flattening the shank end thereof.

In the modified form of the invention disclosed in Fig. the detonating unit is a separate unit from the rivet body. It is merely placed into the rivet body contrasted with the prior form in which it was actually built in. In this form the detonating cap l1', the fuse material i8', and the charge lgare a complete unit. They are placed into the rivet body during manufacture thereof.

In other respects this form of the invention is similar to that previously shown and like reference numerals identify like parts in each of the several views.

In the modication of the invention shown in Fig. 6 the construction of the explosive rivet is similar to that previously described, except that the cap ila is mounted directly on the top of the explosive charge I 6a contained within the chamber 13a. 'Ihe channel 15a frictionally supports a firing pin which has its top end projected into the hollow of the protuberance Ha. Thus when the rivet in this form of the invention is struck upon the head, the protuberance Ila will be collapsed causing the firing pin 20 to be forced downwards within the chamber I5a to strike the cap Ila and set oi the explosive charge I6a contained within the chamber lila.

In other respects this form of the invention is similar to that previously shown and like reference numerals identify like parts in each of the several views.

In Figs. 'I and 8 still another form of the invention has been disclosed which is very similar Mb has a hollow portion 3lv into which the cap 1b ofthe detonating unit engages.

In other respects this form of the invention is similar to that previously shown and like reference numerals identify like parts in each of the several views.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as l new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. An explosive rivet having a rivet body formed with a head portion and a shank portion formed with an internal chamber housing an explosive charge and continuing into a channel extending axially through said shank portion to the head portion, a detonating cap in said passage and projecting slightly above said head portion for exploding said charge when said head portion is hit with a hammer or the like, and means for protecting the projecting portion of the detonating cap against a premature blow accidentally setting off the explosive charge.

2. An explosive rivet yhaving a. rivet body formed with a head portion and a shank portion formed with an internal chamber housing an explosive charge and continuing into a channel extending axially through said shank portion to the head portion, a detonating cap in said passage and projecting slightly above said head portion for exploding said charge when said head portion is hit with a hammer or the like, and means for protecting the projecting portion ofthe detonat. ing cap against a premature blow accidentally setting oi the explosive charge, comprising a collapsible blister-like protuberance formed on the top of said cap and enclosing the projecting portion of said detonating cap.

3. An explosive rivet having a rivet body formed with a head portion and a shank portion formed with an internal chamber housing an explosive charge and continuing into a channel ex n tending axially through said shank portion to the head portion, a detonating cap' in said passage and projecting slightly above said head portion for exploding said charge when said head portion is hit with a hammer or the like, and means for protecting the projecting portion of the detonating cap against a premature blow accidentally setting off the explosive charge, comprising a collapsible 'blister-like protuberance formed on the top of 

